When you think of the early Toronto Raptors, the first name that comes to name is Vince Carter. He put the franchise on the map in the late 90s with his highlight reel dunks and star play on a nightly basis. While “Vinsanity” eventually left the 6ix, he still has tons of love for the organization who traded for him on draft night back in 1998. In fact, Carter loves Toronto so much that he wants to go into the Hall of Fame as a Raptor.

Speaking on Wednesday morning on FanDuel's “Run it Back” podcast, the eight-time All-Star spoke on the matter:

“Toronto, Toronto, Toronto,” he said. “I mean, it has to be. It's where it started 
 yes, I had great years in Jersey, but it started there. My confidence and understanding the player that I could be in the league was trending upwards still in Toronto.”

Only makes sense, right? As Vince Carter said, Toronto is where it all started for him. Carter built his foundation north of the border. In a Raps uniform, the 47-year-old averaged 23.4 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game across seven seasons, making six of his All-Star appearances with the team.

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The reality is that once he did leave, Carter's production did fall off. He was at his best with the Raptors and some could say he should've stayed put. Fans were rather upset when he did leave but now, there's no shortage of love and support for Carter in Toronto. You'll see his jerseys all over the city and across the country.

Vince Carter is a 2024 Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame finalist. The announcement is on April 6th while the ceremony is on August 17th.